Tutype

How to increase your typing speed

Typing faster is a skill, not a talent. These are the habits that actually move your WPM, in the order they matter, plus a four-week plan you can follow in 15 minutes a day.

Updated 13 October 2026

1. Measure where you are

Take a 1-minute typing test three times and average the results. Write down both your net WPM and your accuracy. This is your baseline, and it stops you guessing whether practice is working.

2. Stop looking at the keyboard

The biggest jump in speed comes from touch typing: all ten fingers, each with its own keys, and your eyes on the screen. People who type with two or four fingers while looking down usually top out around 30 to 40 WPM. Touch typists keep going well past 60.

Switching feels slow for the first week or two. That is normal. If you are starting out, follow the beginner's guide to touch typing or go straight to the touch typing course.

3. Aim for accuracy, and speed follows

Every error costs you a backspace and a retype. A typist at 97% accuracy usually beats a faster but sloppy one on net WPM. Slow down until you are above 95%, then let speed creep up on its own.

4. Drill the keys you miss

Most people lose time on a handful of keys and letter pairs, often the top row, the bottom row, or reaches like br and ny. Tutype tracks the keys you miss and brings them back in practice, so short sessions go where they help most.

5. Practise little and often

Fifteen minutes a day beats two hours on a Saturday. Your fingers build the movement patterns between sessions, and short practice keeps you fresh enough to type accurately.

6. Sit so your hands can relax

Feet flat, back supported, elbows near a right angle and wrists floating rather than resting on the desk edge. Tense hands are slow hands. The short posture video walks through it.

A four-week plan

WeekFocusDaily practice
Week 1Home row and posture, eyes on the screen15 minutes of lessons
Week 2Top and bottom rows10 minutes lessons, 5 minutes review
Week 3Capitals, punctuation and numbers10 minutes lessons, one timed test
Week 4Real text: emails, essays or code10 minutes practice, two timed tests

Retest at the end of each week. Gains are rarely smooth: a flat week is usually followed by a jump.

What slows people down

  • Glancing at the keyboard "just for numbers".
  • Practising the same easy sentence until it is memorised.
  • Racing timed tests every day instead of practising.
  • Pressing keys too hard, which tires the hands.

Questions people ask

How long does it take to increase typing speed?

With 10 to 15 minutes of focused practice a day, most people notice a clear gain within two to four weeks. Learning touch typing from scratch takes longer at first but leads to much higher speeds.

Should I focus on speed or accuracy?

Accuracy first. Every mistake costs a backspace and a retype, so typing slightly slower with fewer errors usually gives a higher net WPM.

Why is my typing speed not improving?

The usual reasons are looking at the keyboard, using only a few fingers, practising the same easy text, or rushing and making errors. Drill the keys you miss most and keep your eyes on the screen.

What is an average typing speed?

An average adult types roughly 35 to 40 WPM. Touch typists who practise regularly often reach 60 WPM or more.